Gaming
Valve Turned Steam Controller Reservations Into a Gamer Citizenship Test
Valve's new Steam Controller looks legitimately smart. Its reservation queue also asks whether you've earned the right to buy one.
Roblox
Roblox Checked the Ages. The Crisis Checked Back In.
Roblox's age-verification rollout was supposed to fix child safety. Months later, lawsuits, settlements, new kid accounts, and Roblox's own filings tell a messier story.
Gaming
Microsoft Turns Windows 11 Into an Xbox Front End With Commitment Issues
Xbox Mode wants your PC to behave like a console without giving up PC chaos. It is smart, overdue, and still faintly held together by Game Bar and vibes.
Review
Valve Wants to Turn Your Couch Into a CRPG Command Center
Valve's $99 Steam Controller looks like a peace treaty between mouse people and sofa people. It is weird, sharp, a little heavy, and much better than it needs to be.
Consumer Tech
Razer Made a Green Esports Mouse — and Somehow Kept the Gamer Drama
Razer’s recycled-content Viper V3 Pro is a rare eco flex that still speaks fluent esports. Genuinely smart, slightly theatrical, and more impressive than preachy.
Launch
Microsoft's April Xbox GDK Update — Finally, a Developer Launch With Less Masochism
Microsoft's latest GDK promises smaller PC patches, ARM64 momentum, and fewer sandbox tantrums. It is niche, useful, and far more interesting than it sounds.
Gaming
Framework Turned a Repairable Laptop Into a PCIe Monster
Framework’s Laptop 16 refresh adds cleaner ergonomics, lower pricing, and an OCuLink eGPU kit. It’s gloriously niche, faintly ridiculous, and kind of excellent.
Review
Epic Gave Fortnite Creators AI NPCs — and Also a Very Large Chaperone
Epic’s new Fortnite conversations system makes NPCs talk back with Gemini and ElevenLabs. Clever, constrained, and not quite ready for public island duty.
Gaming
OpenNOW Rebuilt GeForce NOW in Public — and Somehow Made Cloud Gaming Less Annoying
OpenNOW is an unofficial GeForce NOW client with diagnostics, Linux builds, and zero-telemetry swagger. Against all odds, the fan-made version feels refreshingly adult.
Gaming
Xbox Game Pass Added Hades II — Microsoft Built a Buffet With Four Door Fees
Xbox's new Game Pass wave is full of real attractions and deeply Microsoft tier logic. Annoyingly enough, the buffet is good.
Guides
A Deep Dive Into Roblox’s Age Verification Fiasco
Roblox says age checks will protect kids. Users say it’s buggy, invasive, and easy to bypass. Here’s what’s happening and why it matters.
CES
CES 2026: Sony’s PlayStation Car Proves the Future of Mobility Is Killing Time
At CES 2026, Sony’s PlayStation-powered AFEELA shows what autonomous driving is really for: killing time with better screens and games.